Whatever Micah Hinson did in the past, in ‘I Lie To You’ he makes a few healing confessions. 

In the review of the third volume of 'Jive-A-Rama' we already announced a new 'A-Rama' series and here it is. This time no rhythm & blues, rock 'n' roll or rockabilly, but solid swing. Swing is a genre that reigned supreme from 1930 to 1945, also known as the Swing Era. The jazz-related genre was played by African American big bands for danceable entertainment in the ballrooms and dance halls. These big bands then contained between 12 and 25 musicians. After the Second World War, many of these big bands reduced themselves to smaller line-ups because of the high costs and were then described as 'little bigbands'. Fortunately, the genre did not disappear and even now bands that keep the swing genre alive to a greater or lesser extent, regularly see the light of day. Swing includes both instrumental and vocal songs and that mix can also be found on this album. There is also no shortage of big names here. Cab Calloway, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Django Reinhardt with Hot Club De France, Gene Krupa, Ella Fitzgerald, Lucky Millinder, Louis Prima, Duke Ellington, Roy Milton, Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra are just a few of the many artists you can find here and who bring you into the perfect 'swing mood'.
'It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing' is a well-known song in the genre and also a statement that is made true by the 'Swing-A-Rama' series. Superb series!

​Pacific Northwest group Michele D’Amour and the Love Dealers certainly had a good time with their new offering, Hot Mess. The eleven new tracks of the group’s seventh album are a high-spirited collection of snappy swing, sizzling funk and rocking blues. 

Afro-American George ‘Harmonica’ Smith (1924 – 1983) quickly earned a living in the music business thanks to his prowess on the harmonica, developing the approach of his prime master Little Walter aka Walter Jacobs. He was a well-respected side-man on stage for the likes of Champion Jack Dupree and Big Mama Thornton, but recorded little and made no real attempt to profile himself as a solo act. After touring with Muddy Waters in the mid-sixties though, he entered the studio for two solo albums, both re-mastered and rereleased by BGO, with ‘…Of the Blues’ in fact seeing its first release on cd!
‘… Of the Blues’ from 1969 shows the man’s versatility as a harp specialist, at the same time proving he’s an accomplished singer. The opening track ‘Letter to the President’ is just that: Smith reading his letter, i.e. a plea for equal rights, while accompanying himself. ‘Blues for Reverend King’ refers to the same topic, but is a slow, purely instrumental tune with splendid guitar stresses by one Marshall Hooks. Even if Little Walter is always present somehow, the variety never ceases: an up-tempo, instrumental take on ‘Ode to Billy Joe’; the theme of the tv-show ‘Hawaiian Eye’; the self-written jump of ‘Juicy Harmonica’; the classic ‘Got My Mojo Working’ and the funny, talking-and-shouting style ‘Milk That Cow’ – equally self-composed.
A young Rod Piazza plays his harmonica on two tunes. Later, Smith would join Bacon Fat and record for Mike Vernon’s Blue Horizon label – as would guitarist Marshall Hooks!
Radio 68  plays choice tracks on Sundays 8 and 15, and Tuesdays 10 and 17 January 2023, from 11 a.m. onwards. 

The release ‘Rhythm Blues & Boogie’ is proof positive that good things happen when you gather friends and family for a project and Dave Keyes has every right to wear those honors with pride. Often overshadowed by electric guitar, the piano has played a significant role in the development of modern blues, R&B, and rock ‘n’ roll. Born with the perfect name, New Yorker Dave Keyes has spent his life pushing the keyboards into the limelight and carrying the torch of his heroes – Fats Domino, Dr. John, Johnny Johnson, and Professor Longhair, to name just a few. ‘Rhythm Blues &Boogie’ is a soulful feast of vintage R&B, blues, and boogie featuring the sizzling keyboards, vocals, and songwriting of three-time Blues Music Award nominee Dave Keyes. Special guests include legendary drummer Bernard Purdie on four tracks and multi-Blues Music Award winner Doug MacLeod, who performs their acoustic collaboration, “Invisible Man.” Having toured the world both as a solo artist and with his band, for his seventh album, Keyes returns to his own soulful roots, melding musical influences including New Orleans funk, country, roots rock, blues, and everything in between

​The centre of fado music lies more in the city of Coimbra than in Lissabon. Menina e Moça , translated ‘girl and young woman’, is an edition from the fado vocal and guitar school ‘Fado oa Centro’.  With a crossover between these two cities they paint a strong picture of the Portugese soul.

​With 'Toodle Loo Tennessee', the title of this volume, we leave Tennessee & Arkansas, regions where we resided for a total of seven compilations. The large number of artists from these regions made it possible to fill no less than seven volumes with their talents. Those talents can once again be enjoyed during 28 tracks. Tracks that traditionally focus on both well-known and lesser-known artists. Fame certainly fell to Louis Jordan. He gets to start this compilation with 'Fire', which is introduced by a roaring sax. What follows is rocking rhythm & blues of an exceptionally high level, as on the previously released volumes.
We wave goodbye to Tennessee and Arkansas with an appropriate 'Toodle Loo Tennessee' by Charlie and Rosie.
Volume 27 in the 'Southern Bred R & B Rockers' closes the visit to the hotbeds of the rhythm & blues Tennessee and Arkansas in a dignified way.

​‘Revelation’ is a collection of eleven new tracks of traditional Gospel Blues, which includes four new originals penned by Hill. Joining the duo, who have been performing together for the past 15 years, are Hill’s daughter, Paulina, on vocals, Frank Pagano on drums and percussion, Steve Gelfand on bass, with Robert Hill on vocals, keys, harmonica, and his award-winning slide guitar.